Tim Price’s 10th place efforts in the cash-rich Event Rider Masters CIC3* at the Barbury International Horse Trials have seen him move up to fourth on the leaderboard as he heads to the business end of the series.

Price and Ascona M notched 29.8 penalty points in the dressage, adding four in the showjumping and 14.4 time in a challenging cross country to finish on 48.2.

Captain Mark Phillips’ cross country proved a toughie, with just 18 finishing the day. Two retired on course, Andrew Nicholson parted company with Swallow Springs and was one of two eliminated, with a further 15 withdrawing before Cross Country, including Kiwis Sir Mark Todd aboard NZB Campino, Jonelle Price on Kindred Spirit IV, Blyth Tait on Dassett Courage and Virginia Thompson aboard Star Nouveau.

Chris Burton (AUS) and Polystar I were the only ones to come home clear and inside time on the cross country, popping him from 11th to third at Barbury and to the top of the series leaderboard.
Tom Carlile (FRA) and his lovely grey stallion Upsilon took his second consecutive win at Barbury after adding just 1.2 time to his dressage score, taking the win with 26.1.

In the CIC3* (section B), Jesse Campbell and Cleveland finished fourth, with Nicholson and Yacabo BK seventh. Campbell had been fifth after posting a 27.9 dressage mark but slipped a little with his four fault showjumping. However, in a time-tight cross country, he added 11.2 time penalties to finish on 43.1. Nicola Wilson (GBR) and Bulana lead from the get-go, adding just 5.6 time penalties to their dressage score for a total of 30.0.

Nicholson and Yacabo took seventh on 45.3 with Caroline Powell aboard On the Brash 15th with 52.7 and Blyth Tait on Leo Distinction in 18th place with 53.5. Powell was one of eight riders to retire during the cross country, which again pushed riders. Forty-six combinations finished the class, with six eliminated and 10 withdrawn.

Conditions for all were challenging for all today in the searing heat and very dry conditions, but riders were complimentary of the efforts bu organisers to produce the best-possible footing for horses.